LOWELL -- A day after the state Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill establishing protections for transgender people using public accommodations, two city councilors filed a motion to oppose the bill.

On Friday, City Councilors Rodney Elliott and Rita Mercier filed a joint motion for the council to "vote to adopt a resolution to oppose the transgender bill adopted by the State Senate, which allows access to women's bathrooms and locker rooms."

Elliott said he's concerned that "sexual predators and Level 3 sex offenders" would take advantage of such a transgender law, stressing that he doesn't discriminate against transgender people.

"This is nothing about people who are transgender. I support their rights," Elliott said Monday afternoon. "This is about men taking advantage of this change.

"I understand and support transgender people, but we have a duty to protect people who are vulnerable," added Elliott, who mentioned he has two daughters, two granddaughters and five sisters.

When reached Monday morning, Mercier said she has since withdrawn co-sponsoring the motion.

"It's Rodney Elliott's motion. I was on there as a co-sponsor, but I meant I would second it for a discussion (when it comes up for debate Tuesday night)," Mercier said.

She declined to provide her view on the emotional issue.

"It's a sensitive issue, and I'll wait to give my comments at the City Council meeting," she said.

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On Thursday, the State Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation establishing protections for transgender people using public accommodations. The bill bans discrimination based on gender identity in public accommodations and would allow people to use bathrooms, locker rooms and other sex-segregated facilities that correspond with their gender identity rather than physical anatomy.

Among the senators who voted for the bill is Eileen Donoghue, of Lowell, a former city councilor and two-term mayor.

"After weighing all the evidence and information presented to us, the reality is there's zero evidence of any of those fears of molestation or anything else you've heard in the media," Donoghue said on Monday. "I think some folks have perhaps misunderstood or misinterpreted the bill, but it's quite straightforward.

"This is a matter of civil rights, of treating people equally, recognizing a class that has been discriminated against," she added.

Elliott said an alternative to the transgender bill would be a separate bathroom, which "is not discriminatory," he said.

If his motion passes, the City Council would send its opinion to the Legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker. The House of Representatives still needs to vote on the bill.

Mayor Ed Kennedy said he doesn't think the issue belongs in front of the council.

"It is a state issue. It's not a local issue," Kennedy said. "The Lowell City Council has a lot on its plate in terms of economic development and other issues besides getting involved in other issues that it can have no impact on."

A spokesperson for Freedom Massachusetts -- a bipartisan campaign advocating for the state's transgender legislation -- said the bill is to ensure everyone is protected from discrimination.

"It's disappointing that the councilor is out of touch," said Angela Dallara, communications director for Freedom Massachusetts. "The longer it takes to pass this bill, the longer people are at risk of discrimination."

The motion was filed as the transgender issue is debated, not just in Massachusetts, but across the country.

The federal Education and Justice departments released directives Friday to public school districts across the nation as part of an administration effort to protect transgender rights. State officials in Texas already said they would ignore the federal guidelines.

In addition, earlier last week, the federal government sued North Carolina over a state law forcing transgender people to use public restrooms based on the sex identified on their birth certificate.

Since the North Carolina law was passed, companies including PayPal Holdings Inc. and Deutsche Bank have announced they were pulling back from plans to expand in the state. Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr canceled concerts there.

Information from the State House News Service and The Washington Post was used in this report.

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